Karen J. Burke

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Resolutions Every Homeowner Should Consider in 2018

The time for New Year's resolutions is at hand. And while some are striving to eat healthier and get more exercise in 2018, there are a few resolutions everyone can make to help keep their home more safe, secure, and more efficient.

The folks at familyhandyman.com have a ton of ideas for homeowner resolutions, but among the most valuable is the suggestion to call for an energy audit. This entails inviting a specialist in to perform a series of tests that tell you the efficiency of your heating and cooling system and the overall efficiency of your home.

On the basis of the test results, auditors will likely recommend low-cost improvements to save energy, and larger upgrades that will pay you back within five to seven years. Audits take two to three hours and cost $250 to $400, but many utility companies or local and state energy offices could offer a substantial rebate.

More than a few real estate blogs urge homeowners to resolve to find a way to make extra payments on your mortgage. While paying even as little as $25 - $100 more per month may seem like it could have little impact, sources say it makes a huge difference on the total you end up paying over the course of the loan. It can also shorten the amount of time you're making payments and can have you owning your house free and clear sooner than you expected.

If you want to save more and waste less in 2018, the Natural Resources Defense Council - an organization that pushes for more intelligent management of natural resources - suggests making a resolution to stop wasting food. In 2017, Americans on average tossed out roughly 40 percent of their food.

That one behavior modification could save you roughly $1,300 per household per year - quite a chunk of change. The council suggests planning out grocery shopping, meals and other elements of consumption to bring your household into the zero-food-waste category in 2018.